In Safe Hands: Schmeichel On City's Goalkeeping Heritage
Whilst the four aforementioned shot-stoppers are perhaps the most prominent names that come to mind when recollecting custodians of days gone by, others have also shone.
Mark Wallington made an incredible 460 appearances for the Foxes between 1971 and 1985 as he became successor to Shilton following the latter’s move to Stoke City.
Ian Walker, who played for Leicester between 2001 and 2005, was a regular in the England international set-up, despite only winning four caps due to the form of Arsenal’s David Seaman for the most part.
Indeed, City’s record of developing or recruiting some top-quality goalkeepers is strong – and one man that has seen all of them in action during their respective careers at Filbert Street or Filbert Way is Club Historian John Hutchinson.
John, who has been supporting Leicester for 55 years, commenced his affection with the Club as a regular at Filbert Street during the era of the famous Ice Kings side of 1962/63 – four years before Banks would win the World Cup with England.
During his time watching Leicester, John has seen it all; with the Premier League winning campaign of 2015/16 and the subsequent UEFA Champions League adventure last season providing a pinnacle.
Within the current City side, there is undeniably another name to add to the list of goalkeeping greats to have worn the fox’s head on his chest – Kasper Schmeichel.
The Danish international has undeniably improved season-upon-season since his arrival at Belvoir Drive in 2011, with his performances in the Premier League establishing him as one of the most consistent stoppers in England’s top flight.
In addition to winning the league title last season, City’s No. 1 has also been named the Danish Player of the Year for the past two consecutive years.
Aware of Leicester City’s illustrious history when it comes to goalkeeping, Schmeichel – a player that admittedly studies all elements of his profession – sat down with John for LCFC Magazine earlier this year to discuss the art of goalkeeping and the way in which training methods have changed over the seasons...
John Hutchinson: I got the impression from both Banks and Shilton that they were obsessive trainers. Banks used to stand between the edge of the penalty area and the goal-line and then get people lobbing the ball over so that he could know how to get to the ball whilst running backwards.
He admitted that one of his weaknesses were crosses coming in from the left and he worked really hard at that. Shilton revealed that he wanted longer arms, so he would hang from the bannisters as a kid. Do you think you have to be that obsessive to be a goalkeeper?
Kasper Schmeichel: 100 per cent, no doubt about it. I don’t think you can be a goalkeeper without having an obsessive side, because it is the minute details which make all the difference. You’re on your own and if you make a mistake, 99 per cent of the time it results in conceding a goal.
In other areas of the pitch you can make a mistake and it’s not necessarily as costly. You have to be as close to perfection as possible, every single time. Each time you’re involved in the play, your timing or actions have to be perfect. If not, it can breed uncertainty within the defence.
You have to look assured and you always have to have everything under control. In the era of Banks and Shilton, it would be very different to what we do now.
Back then, I can imagine that they wouldn’t have specified goalkeeper coaches and that makes some of their achievements even more remarkable, because they had to do everything themselves.
Now, things are put in place that you do from a very early age and all the way through and, in many ways, you wouldn’t give them a second thought. Things change depending on the stage you’re at in your career.
When you’re young, you train a heck of a lot and when you are around 26 or 27, you start to feel the physical effects of the amount of training you have to do. You find yourself in what I call ‘game mode’; you play your games, you make your saves or your mistakes but then experience starts to kick in.
Later on, experience starts to dictate and you learn to listen to your body a bit more, in addition to learning what you can and can’t do and how much you can train. When I was a kid, I would train hours and hours on end.
Now I’m 30, I can’t do that anymore and still be ready for games, so you have to adapt and tailor things, whilst looking to improve in every session.
JH: Shilton of course played until he was 40, and there have been goalkeepers since that have played on to that age. At present, Gianluigi Buffon is 39. Do you think that the points you’ve mentioned about adapting and listening to your body plays a part in that?
KS: I think so. The great thing about goalkeeping is that you can carry on until you’re into your 40s. Obviously you don’t put the amount of miles into your legs that the outfield players do, it’s more the impact on your knees, other joints and your back from hitting the ground.
Again, I think that’s a reason you have to tailor the way you train as you get older. I remember when I was young at Manchester City, David Seaman came in when he was 39 or 40 and he didn’t need to train. He was always ready for games, but he didn’t need to be out there every day throwing himself around.
He had that much experience that it just wasn’t necessary. As a goalkeeper, I don’t believe you hit your peak until your mid to late 30s.
To read the full interview with Kasper Schmeichel and much more, visit the City Fanstore at King Power Stadium and buy Issue 3 of LCFC Magazine - available NOW at just £4.
Other features include:
- England Under-21 winger Demarai Gray reflects on an impressive early start to his career, including winning the Premier League at the age of 19
- New signing Harry Maguire explains the reasons behind his switch to Leicester City from Hull City
- Take a look at the journey made by a group of Leicester City supporters that have struck up an unlikely friendship with fans of German club VfL Bochum
- Explore the measures taken to record Leicester City’s remarkable heritage
- Legend Steve Walsh helps to unveil the very first Leicester Dry Gin with partners Burleighs
- An in-depth look at the latest Fox & Crop range
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